[B-Greek] word order Luke 11:45
Iver Larsen
iver at larsen.dk
Mon May 30 01:40:03 EDT 2005
> Please consider Luke 11:45, where a lawyer responds to Jesus' denunciation
> of the Pharisees.
>
> APOKRIQEIS DE TIS TWN NOMIKWN LEGEI AUTWi: DIDASKALE, TAUTA LEGWN
> KAI hHMAS hUBRIZEIS.
>
> APOKRIQEIS in the first position serves to tie the new information to the
> old. Within the quoted speech TAUTA LEGWN also in the first
> position, serves
> the same purpose. The most salient new information in the quoted speech is
> in the final position. hUBRIZEIS is the least predictable element
> and it is all the way to the right (last position).
>
> Elizabeth Kline
It is not easy to discuss the pragmatic function of word order, because
there are several different schools of thought and no agreed-upon
terminology. Those who have followed this list for some time, are aware of
those different perspectives. For instance, Carl Conrad believes that the
last position MAY be emphatic. I think word order in Greek is far too
flexible to allow for that, but it is possible in English.
I am therefore offering my perspective without necessarily expecting
agreement.
I don't think that word order "ties things together". Conjunctions and
particles do that.
APOKRIQEIS DE TIS TWN NOMIKWN LEGEI AUTWi
I find that the simplest description that seems to me to work well, is the
principle of *relative* importance (salience if you what). In the example
you give, APOKRIQEIS is salient, or relatively most important in the clause.
It indicates un unpredictable interjection, rather than a predictable answer
to a question. Next comes "one of the law-teachers", introducing the
speaker. The LEGWN carries little semantic import. AUTWi is most
predictable, since the context makes it expected that this person would
respond to Jesus, who is the person in the centre of attention making a
speech.
DIDASKALE, TAUTA LEGWN KAI hHMAS hUBRIZEIS
The vocative naturally comes first as a form of address and formal respect.
The last sentence has two clauses (or propositions). In the first clause,
TAUTA is emphasized rather than LEGWN, because the topic is: "Those words
you have just said". In the second clause KAI hUMAS is relatively more
important than the insulting. Everyone listening knew that the Pharisees
would be insulted by Jesus' words. The point of this law-teacher is that
"we, too", feel insulted. hUMAS is emphasized partly by its position but
also by the intensifier KAI (even, also).
Iver Larsen
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